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Plinth

· Public charity

World Business Chicago

WORLD BUSINESS CHICAGO is the city of chicago's public-private economic development agency.

$28k
Granted FY2024still arriving
1
Grants FY2024still arriving
1
States reached
$25k
Largest
01What you fund
01100% classified

What you funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year — across FY20172024.

Community Improvement$4.6MPublic Benefit$600kEmployment$532kEducation$235kHousing & Shelter$75kArts & Culture$70kPublic Safety & Disaster$30kInternational$18kOther$0
02FY2024 · 1 grant

Where the money goes

Your grants by size, and where they go.

The 1 grants below total $25,000 — the rows itemised in this filing. The $27,585 headline is the total grant expense reported on the return, so the remaining $2,585 is giving the schedule does not break out: grants under the $5,000 itemisation floor, grants to individuals, and grants reported on other schedules. Every figure below describes the itemised rows only.

$25,000
Median grant
1
States reached
$12M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS FOUNDATION$25,000
02The need
03

Do your dollars go where the need is?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, then read against the area’s typical level.

show:

Your human-services grants (FY17–22, $655k) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of your grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%SOCIALWORKS: $10k → 14%BETHEL NEW LIFE INC: $400k → 14%WEST SIDE FORWARD: $145k → 14%BETHEL NEW LIFE INC: $100k → 14%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount

Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty linein the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP; grantee ZIP can differ from where services are delivered.

US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are actually delivered. Need from public data — U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA — shown as context about the area, never attributed to your giving.

03Your edge
repeat funding

Who you back again

Which organizations you funded more than once, and which you funded a single time. Each grantee is matched to its own filings.

43%of every dollar goes to organizations you’ve funded before.
$2.6M · 6 repeat orgs$3.4M to everyone else

6 repeat relationships — 1 still active in FY2024, 5 since wound down.

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

6
44

Total granted

$2.6M
$3.4M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

-2%
+10%

Still filing today

83%
55%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 100% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $0 went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’17’18’20’21’22’23’24
EducationCommunity ImprovementEmploymentHousing & ShelterHuman ServicesInternationalOther

First-time = a grantee’s first year in your filing window; renewed = funded in an earlier year too. As a portfolio matures the renewed share naturally climbs — once funded, an org stays “renewable” — so the signal is the years that buck it (a new-grantee intake wave). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as “new.” Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • BL
    BUNKER LABS NFP INC
    3× · 2017–2020 · $745k · revenue -12%
  • FF
    FUTURE FOUNDERS FOUNDATION
    3× · 2017–2020 · $670k · revenue +13% · 44% of their budget
  • BN
    BETHEL NEW LIFE INC
    3× · 2017–2020 · $645k · revenue -60%

Funded once

  • TM
    THE MAGNIFICENT MILE ASSOCIATIONgraduated
    one grant, 2021 · $506k · revenue +79%
  • CO
    CITY OF CHICAGO
    one grant, 2020 · $500k
  • CR
    CHICAGO REGIONAL GROWTH CORPORATION
    one grant, 2018 · $433k · 43% of their budget

Repeat = funded in two or more distinct years; growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Your field

The map has a center of gravity: the average direction from the rest of the sector toward the organizations the foundation funds — the shape of its giving. Scoring every nonprofit along that direction surfaces the ones that look most like the portfolio. These are the closest matchesthat aren’t grantees — a resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
A Better Chicago

A better chicago is changing how chicago fights poverty by investing in bold ideas that create opportunity for our youth.

Human Services
2
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce

The chicagoland chamber of commerce combines the power of people, with our legacy of leadership and business advocacy, to drive a dynamic economy. we focus on delivering value for our members, making chicagoland a world-class place to live…

3
Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago

Strengthen companies in the kinzie industrial corridor and facilitate economic and community development by providing services and incubator space.

4
Chicago Jobs Council

Chicago Jobs Council (CJC) pursues its mission through advocacy, applied research, public education and capacity-building initiatives focused on influencing the development or reform of public policies and programs. From 18 original…

5
Chicago United

To achieve parity in economic opportunity for people of color by advancing multiracial leadership in corporate governance, expanding the talent pipline for executive-level management, and growing minority businesses.

Philanthropy
6
World Business Chicago

World business chicago is the city of chicago's public-private economic development agency. our mission is to drive inclusive economic growth and job creation, support business, and promote chicago as a leading global city.

Community Improvement
7
Chicago United for Equity

Connecting and amplifying the power of individuals to build a just, equitable, and inclusive city.

Civil Rights
8
Chicagoland Associated General Contractors

To deliver exceptional value to our members through industry leadership, superior services, and innovative programs.

9
Xchange Chicago Inc

To realize a more equitable and inclusive economy by advancing innovative workforce solutions that equip local residents with the skills and resources to access high-growth employment opportunities in tech and other rapidly growing fields…

Employment
10
Chicago Cultural Alliance

The Chicago Cultural Alliances mission is to connect, promote, and support centers of cultural heritage for a more inclusive Chicago. We are an active consortium of 50 cultural heritage museums, centers, and historical societies that…

Arts & Culture
11
The Chicago Innovation Foundation
Philanthropy
12
Chicago Workers' Collaborative Nfp

Chicago Workers' Collaborative's mission is to promote full employment and equality for the lowest wage-earners, primarily temporary staffing workers, in the Chicago region through leadership and skills training, critical assistance and…

Education

For reference, the grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Onechicagofund and the most unlike its peers is Somebody Help Us Alguien Ayudenos Inc. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.

Your grantees are a median of 19 years old; the field is 17. You back the established end — and your money leans older still.

THE FIELDby orgYOUR GRANTEESby number21%10%<5yr14%13%5–10yr18%29%10–20yr17%26%20–35yr15%13%35–55yr16%10%55yr+
THE FIELDby orgYOUR MONEYby value21%18%<5yr14%16%5–10yr18%38%10–20yr17%17%20–35yr15%8%35–55yr16%3%55yr+

The field is 21% startups (under 5 years old) — 10% of your grantees by number, and just 18% of your money.

Closures · last 5 years

The orgs you fund almost never close 4% lost their exemption, against 16% of the field you don’t fund.

orgs you fund
4%2/51
the rest of the field
16%
4,998/31,459

Age = years since IRS exemption (a founding proxy). “Closed” = auto-revocation for 3 years of non-filing — a floor on closure, not proof, and bigger established orgs lapse least. Association, not causation.

04the grantee network

33 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each one resolved to its own IRS returns and tracked year by year — your grant beside their revenue from every source. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

Counted here: distinct organizations you funded across 20172025, not grant rows in a single year — so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 33 of the 51 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile; the rest are funded organizations whose filings we could not track year by year.

4
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
6
Early backer (in before they grew)
30/33
Grantees still filing
17/33
Grew since you first funded

Where your money sits — by cause, then by grantee

BUNKER LABS NFP INC — $745,000 · OtherBUNKER LABS NFP INCCITY OF CHICAGO — $500,000 · OtherCITY OF CHICAGOCHICAGO REGIONAL GROWTH CORPORATION — $433,237 · OtherCHICAGO REGIONAL GROWTH CORPORATIONBLUE 1647 NFP — $318,750 · OtherBLUE 1647 NFPWOMEN'S BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER — $125,000 · Other+23 more — $678,616 · Other+23 moreFUTURE FOUNDERS FOUNDATION — $670,000 · EducationFUTURE FOUNDERS FOUNDATI…Chicago Loop Alliance Foundation — $192,000 · EducationChicago Loop Alliance Fo…CHICAGO COOK WORKFORCE PARTNERSHIP — $151,790 · EducationCHICAGO COOK WORKFORCE P…UI LABS INC — $100,000 · EducationUI LABS INCCIVIC CONSULTING ALLIANCE — $100,000 · EducationCIVIC CONSULTING ALLIANC…SCALELIT FKA CHICAGO CITYWIDE LITERACY COALITION — $50,000 · EducationUniversity of Illinois Foundation — $50,000 · EducationTHE MAGNIFICENT MILE ASSOCIATION — $506,178 · Community ImprovementTHE MAGNIFICENT MI…ALLIES FOR COMMUNITY BUSINESS INC — $261,800 · Community ImprovementALLIES FOR COMMUNI…Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center — $150,000 · Community ImprovementChicagoland Entrep…CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVES INC — $75,000 · Community ImprovementCHICAGO NEIGHBORHO…+1 more — $12,500 · Community ImprovementBETHEL NEW LIFE INC — $645,000 · Human ServicesBETHEL NEW L…+1 more — $10,000 · Human ServicesINNER-CITY COMPUTER STARS FOUNDATION — $100,000 · EmploymentSKILLS FOR CHICAGO — $100,000 · EmploymentThe Cara Program — $30,000 · EmploymentPRESERVATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING INC — $25,000 · Housing & ShelterTHE COMMUNITY BUILDERS INC — $25,000 · Housing & ShelterWESTSIDE HEALTH AUTHORITY — $7,365 · Housing & ShelterGREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY — $50,000 · Food & NutritionHELP HEROES OF UKRAINE INC NFP — $10,000 · InternationalRevived Soldiers Ukraine — $7,500 · International
Other$2,800,603Education$1,313,790Community Improvement$1,005,478Human Services$655,000Employment$230,000Housing & Shelter$57,365Food & Nutrition$50,000International$17,500

Each org by its size and your share of it — top-left is where you’re load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ your share of their budgetBUNKER LABS NFP INC — $745,000 over 3y, 4.0% of budgetFUTURE FOUNDERS FOUNDATION — $670,000 over 3y, 44% of budgetBETHEL NEW LIFE INC — $645,000 over 3y, 10% of budgetTHE MAGNIFICENT MILE ASSOCIATION — $506,178 over 1y, 22% of budgetCHICAGO REGIONAL GROWTH CORPORATION — $433,237 over 1y, 43% of budgetALLIES FOR COMMUNITY BUSINESS INC — $261,800 over 1y, 2.9% of budgetChicago Loop Alliance Foundation — $192,000 over 2y, 29% of budgetCHICAGO COOK WORKFORCE PARTNERSHIP — $151,790 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetChicagoland Entrepreneurial Center — $150,000 over 1y, 1.7% of budgetWOMEN'S BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER — $125,000 over 1y, 3.0% of budgetUI LABS INC — $100,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetINNER-CITY COMPUTER STARS FOUNDATION — $100,000 over 1y, 5.8% of budgetCIVIC CONSULTING ALLIANCE — $100,000 over 1y, 2.4% of budgetSKILLS FOR CHICAGO — $100,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetILLINOIS ARTS ALLIANCE — $80,548 over 1y, 3.5% of budgetCHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVES INC — $75,000 over 1y, 2.0% of budgetONECHICAGOFUND — $50,000 over 1y, 2.8% of budgetSCALELIT FKA CHICAGO CITYWIDE LITERACY COALITION — $50,000 over 1y, 3.9% of budgetUniversity of Illinois Foundation — $50,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetGREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY — $50,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCOALITION FOR A BETTER CHINESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY CBCAC — $48,000 over 1y, 12% of budgetBACK OF THE YARDS NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL — $30,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetThe Cara Program — $30,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetLaSalle Street Revival — $25,000 over 1y, 25% of budgetPRESERVATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING INC — $25,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE COMMUNITY BUILDERS INC — $25,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetPUERTO RICAN CULTURAL CENTER — $15,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetCHICAGO BLEND GROUP INC — $12,500 over 1y, 4.7% of budgetSOCIALWORKS — $10,000 over 1y, 1.9% of budgetSOMEBODY HELP US ALGUIEN AYUDENOS INC — $10,000 over 1y, 2.8% of budgetHELP HEROES OF UKRAINE INC NFP — $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetRevived Soldiers Ukraine — $7,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budget
Go grantee by grantee — a decade per org, and how each moved after you funded them

A decade per grantee — revenue shaded, your grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

The grantmakers whose grantees overlap with yours far more than size alone predicts. Each orbits closer the stronger the alignment; the arcs between them show where they also fund each other. Here it reads as a tightly interlocked camp — most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

The Chicago Community TrustIL25.4× affinity17 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Chicago Community Trust · John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation · The Coleman Foundation Inc · Robert R McCormick Foundation · Polk Bros Foundation Inc · Circle of Service Foundation · United Way of Metropolitan Chicago Inc · Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership · Tides Foundation · Field Foundation of Illinois · The Allstate Foundation · Lloyd a Fry Foundation

Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. A research starting point: overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

Government reliance of your grantees

Every dot is one organization World Business Chicago funds. Left–right is the share of its income from government; up–down is the share from you. Bigger dots raise more. Filter to federal or a single department — and drag the year to watch it move.

2023
202122232425
no gov · 10%2%8%17%30%your share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from governmentmedian 11%
  • The Community Builders Inc11% of income from government
  • Preservation of Affordable Housing Inc8% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
1get no government money at all
8report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
typical government reliance, FY2025

Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending — grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that your grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first — a floor, not a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12–24 months.

On method. Every financial figure here is read directly from IRS e-file XML — your own 990/990-PF and the multi-year returns of the 51 grantees we resolved across every year we hold, several hundred filings in all (a different count from the grant rows on the cover, which are one fiscal year)— each linked to its source. Grantee achievements and outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III); we read these as association with sustained funding — the foundation is one of several forces — suppress low-confidence name matches rather than guess, and say so where a figure rests on a single grant or filing. Not everything on this page is a filed figure, and the difference matters. Filed is what you reported on your return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears. How we build these →

Generated from your IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12–24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

More from the funding graph